This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of create and configure file systems. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which THREE of the following mount options are commonly used to enhance security on a filesystem?
nosuid
Correct: blocks setuid/setgid bits.
nodev
Correct: prevents device file interpretation.
suid
Why wrong: Incorrect: allows setuid bits, opposite of security.
defaults
Why wrong: Incorrect: includes suid and dev, reducing security.
noexec
Correct: prevents execution of binaries.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
nosuid
The `nosuid` option prevents the set-user-identifier (setuid) and set-group-identifier (setgid) bits from taking effect on the filesystem. This blocks unprivileged users from executing binaries with elevated privileges, a common vector for privilege escalation attacks.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
nosuid
Why this is correct
Correct: blocks setuid/setgid bits.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
nodev
Why this is correct
Correct: prevents device file interpretation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
suid
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: allows setuid bits, opposite of security.
defaults
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: includes suid and dev, reducing security.
noexec
Why this is correct
Correct: prevents execution of binaries.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse `defaults` with a secure baseline, not realizing it includes `suid`, `dev`, and `exec` — the very options that security hardening aims to disable.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, the `nosuid` flag is stored in the VFS mount structure and checked by the kernel during `execve()` syscall processing; if set, the kernel clears the effective UID/GID change regardless of the file's permission bits. The `nodev` option similarly blocks the kernel from interpreting device special files (major/minor numbers) on that mount, preventing a user from creating a raw block device node to bypass filesystem permissions. In a multi-tenant environment like a shared web host, mounting `/tmp` with `nosuid,nodev,noexec` is a standard hardening practice to prevent privilege escalation via world-writable directories.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
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FAQ
Create and configure file systems — This question tests Create and configure file systems — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: nosuid — The `nosuid` option prevents the set-user-identifier (setuid) and set-group-identifier (setgid) bits from taking effect on the filesystem. This blocks unprivileged users from executing binaries with elevated privileges, a common vector for privilege escalation attacks.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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